Benedict: The Conservative's Pope

2/11/2013 1:00PM

Dan Henninger and Mary Kissel discuss the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI and the pontiff's tumultuous eight-year papacy. Also, is it wise for the GOP to filibuster Obama's nominees? Plus, is gun control smart or illegal?

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... the ... the ... opinion Journal why Mary Kissel you're looking a live shot of the Vatican ... we had very surprising news today Pope Benedict ... announcing his resignation ... so what kind of church Will disco leave behind ... Wonderland Columnist Dan Henninger and fellow Catholic joins me ... I tend to and from what is this Pope's greatest legacy was there a theme ... of this happens ... well I think it began when it was carnal Colonel Joseph Ratzinger and ... a Ratzinger was a very powerful on an ... apologist defender of the Catholic faith and of the Western tradition um it's a very ... very importantly the idea that ... we have a culture based on the reason rationality and moral structure ... and he did an excellent job of defining of them I think as Pope often for defending of this will be also have very tumultuous tenure and the child abuse cases for instance ... really marks ... Mark is administration how do you think he dealt ... with those cases ... I think you don't want them very well Marius matter fact offer ... as Cardinal he immerse themselves in the de tails of those cases and then after he became Pope ... he gradually adopted in the zero tolerance policy towards trial abuse ... and prosecuted a couple of very famous cases of bother Mafia all in Mexico ... and a Legion of faith of had them of sch sharply criticized ... we came to United States in two thousand and eight ... he met personally with the families of abuse to that would be different views themselves or their families ... from Boston ... and trust that several times so ... in that respect I think they that they face up to it ... of publicly ... but administratively finding a structure ... with which we can deal with these cases is much more difficult for the church he he also had a real challenge in reaching out to Catholics around the world that the opposition in the church is changing a lot ... on how to do for example with cassis in the Middle Eastern Catholics in China ... well ... it's good thing to bring up married because they had set up as an explicit goal in defending ... the other persecuted Christian minorities in the Middle East the Assyrians in Iraq the Coptic Christians in Egypt and all the Christians in Syria ... and ... it was a well intentioned goal but by and large those Christians are being driven all of those countries ... so the ... intention is not ... the intention is not really been matched by execution ... to criticize this Pope and this Vatican Mary I think you would probably be that the bureaucracy of the Vatican ... is simply not suited to the twenty for Sentry world is virtually a sixteenth century bureaucracy ... and it often undermines the Pope's goals and good intentions it's not good at executing them and it ministrations ... this is a very serious problem for the Vatican and I think the Catholic Church generally even here in United States we have about the the twenty first century I think we got a shot of the Pops Twitter account that on effects ... to weaken Klepierre on the screen ... I wanna come back to this bureaucracy and how it inhibits the church ... particularly with the child abuse cases to stand at the Calliope was my press back EU and say no ... in such a good job why didn't they prosecute these priests earlier ... omniscient we see many more in these cases going into our justice system around and be handled internally by the church ... well I've The it up so that public authorities to take up the prosecution of the church itself is going to prosecute these cases ... bought off I think that that quietly Benedict himself was other didn't tend to push hard against the trial the use cases ... and you know I have to push back a little bit against the public perception here because I think ... quietly they were doing a lot to try to bring ... these instances to the surface Benedict insult was the problem again what is the Vatican bureaucracy in the Catholic Church bureaucracy which moves so slowly if at all it undermined the Pope's ... expressed intention to bring these cases to the surface ... this is been a significant problem for the Catholic Church ... the relationship with other states there was a big flap at the beginning ... of his tenure ... I'm talking about and that Muslims and violence I got a lot of pushback ... you think he was misunderstood or did he actually ... the Fed and this is the famous Regensburg lecture at me and I think that one was mis understood that one was thought to my mind up early eloquent defense of reason and rationality rather than achieving one's Coulter ... up through blood as he put it and he was trying to push back against the idea that ... radical Islamic was not seem to be unable to integrate itself with the art traditions and structure ... of the West and that's what he was criticizing them for him was trying to reach in dialogue with them ... again area relates to those ... strategies to defend Christians in the Middle East ... and while ... I thought he was eloquent in the way his state of these things it was the execution by the Vatican in the bureaucracy ... that and ultimately failed to carry for aam on the Pope's good intentions so could we see a Coke Timothy Dolan and any any pics and is gonna come out and I had to feed only grape I think the younger they should try it for a younger Cardinal who's going to upgrade the managerial side of the Catholic Church because they just cannot afford in the twenty for Sentry to continue ... of with the bureaucracy that they've got which which fails the Pope appear rocker see frustrating second insurer sounds familiar here now Wonderland Columnist Dan Henninger thanks so much for being with us ... we've got editorial page editor Paul to go coming up next on the state of the Union address ... state and ... live coverage of President Obama stated Union address ... tomorrow and forty five pm ... on WS J live ... welcome back to Opinion Journal why Mary Kissel prison Obama will deliver his state of the Union address tomorrow ... what will he say it is it worth even listening to you editorial page editor Paul to go joins me now ... all what is the purpose traditionally this TV in how we think this president is going well was in the ... hands is the purpose is ... to set the agenda for the year to have the president take advantage ... of the modern presidencies of taking advantage of trends take advantage of this ... setting that home field advantage if you win one of him being ... in that in the capital both houses they are the Supreme Court the joint Chiefs everybody there ... they have a national audience to be able sector agenda ... get off to good start and hopefully in the president's mind ... moves the Congress ok what will you be listening for ours are certain initiative see you expect him to address more ... taxes or ... spending as to why I ... I expect him to ... know what they're saying the leaks are now the focus on the economy ... I expect to hear an awful lot about the budget ... an awful lot about the ... scary movie Sanaa Rio ... the sequester hits on March first grade that dire Straits the military in the horrible things that will happen to the economy all decide to put pressure ... on Republicans to move his way on ... on the automatic spending cuts ... that make you hit very hard populist themes ... saying again again that the arguments he made in the campaign ... the rich to give their fair share ... so and so forth ... in order again to move the Republican ... so ... basically more of the same yet kind of attack dogs know that the president has been in the foreign nationals to widen to have a real puppet the steps and if you believe greedy or if you believe as I get ... that the president thinks now he has basically operating majority ... in the country ... on center left majority ... he believes that he has that think ... that's ... the fines ... and it explains a lot of his behavior ... I need to keep them populist engine economics kill that some other cultural issues like guns and immigration quite hard I think ... aam but he's a really focus alot on the budget jobs ... because his approval rating ... if you know this has been all that stocks are ... still mid to upper forties ... of Unum imported forty nine most of the averages ... but um I think in part that's because there's a perception there ... that he's not focused as much in the economy ... so that will put a lot of pressure on the GOP Marco Rubio of Florida senator who has ... been chosen to keep the response of the press to comes out with a very populist message ... on light on facts but strong on populism how in the world should Senator Rubio response to an attack like that well I don't think you should respond I mean I don't think that the first of all it sold soon after the speech that can really turn it around second the president has such an advantage with that ... where he speaks in a given me that that that that that were popular alternative rather be Republican or Democrat it looks like it's in some back room ... you know it's it's it's it's hurried ... there there isn't really ... it just looks ... secondly I would almost not give one ... if I were ... if I were the other party frankly I just what the president have to say a new respond ... to your spokesman ... in that evening or in the days afterwards I would be my recommendation ... they never take my word ... the show but ... but Romeo attention to slam his in his view ... when an alternative ... they simply as possible don't don't don't attack the president ... to say here's the we have a different view here's how ... we think we can help the economy ... we in him particular hit the economic team says ... here's how our policies can help with economic opportunity ... and here's why we don't think that reducing spending ... is gonna hurt the economy in fact it ... helped cause it has Eric Cantor previewed a little bit of that message is peaches has been giving the students ... I he's been ... previewing a certain view that Republicans haven't onto shirts Marco Rubio ... go Rubio probably one thing for him self I think on this one ... Cantor has been proved the engine cover Kinder gentler House Republican ... if you were not the bad guys ... you can understand where they're coming from politically that can really ... beat up by the president they wanna seem reasonable that won it seem like nice people ... in our that the compassion of this so I think that ... that go the the the the the message that Cantor's offering hasn't been as clear as his attention and that he hasn't really come out and spurred Oakley said ... but he agreed with the president on ... the news to meet the press yesterday that the ... heat ... this request with terrible consequences ... well women ... then why are you going to vote for the Republican why would I get on and on what ... has reduced if you're willing you so much on ... only because the president doesn't agree with you ... in fact anything to make a more principled ... case about why the sequester actually ... would become a principled case for why the sequester is good ok will leave it that thank you Paul ... likey here for another segment to stay in Washington ... here's Lindsey Graham on face the nation ... I'll think we should allow Brennan ... go forth for the C I a director she up ... a goal to be confirmed as Secretary of Defense until the White House ... gives us an accounting did the press to never pick up the phone ... and call anyone in the Libyan government help these folks what did the Pres to do and what do you plan to do that they don't give you an answer you gotta put a hold on the spot on MNA yes yes ... yes um inasmuch colleagues just like the day with John Bolton ... Joe Biden said that no confirmation without information ... no confirmation without information ... welcome back to Opinion Journal why Mary Kissel no confirmation without information ... and that was Lindsey Graham on face the nation ... for poets in the now adheres to Opinion Journal ... editorial page editor Paul GBO here to discuss the politics of these confirmation hearings ... all this the grand have a point that it's the center's duty to vet the president's nominees regardless of party ... oh sure no question that's ... because of the Constitution should do ... ok but in person chock a goal it defense ... being a very interesting editorial Davidson basically ... Democrats are doing that they're plain pack politics ... by the sender at Bagram raised John Bolton's nomination hearing what a so change ... in the last four years tint to solicit this kind of behavior president won ... and Democrats on this one house of Democratic senators ... um ... they have private misgivings about to ... about Chuck cable for example there's no question about it ... but did at the beginning of a second term it would take a brave Democrat I think on to to ... break with the pack unfortunately ... hand and then go against chock a goal notwithstanding private ... misgivings ... aam but to ... he likes to The Wealth Prabhu we need more for me she was really a case to be in a semi truck chock a goal did not put on a great performances nomination hearings the dizzy unfit for office well um if it is is is not quite the word I would use is he is he on qualified for defense secretary I think that's fair ... and I think his his performance showed that he's unfamiliar with most of the major issues he didn't serve our armed services remember when using this entity was on Foreign Relations ... he's not familiar with a lot of the big programs and what the choices actually will be very difficult budget choices he said as much ... there's an awful lot I have to familiarize myself with a one word because apparently the issues that have our hands ... but he is really going in there as a rookie ... no question about it so I think he's not qualified ... and I think he also has some real ... issues about his independent Speea's I think the deal that was cut with him ... with this one of reasons the president wants him was ... we want you to come and basically take orders from what happens ... to be live with that ... he said yes ... basically ... and I think you saw him validate that when Joe Manchin from West Virginia passed him ... you'll be of a policy making that away you ... he said no I will have a policy making what are you kidding me ... that's what the defense secretary is he suppose to give ... policy advice to the White House ... not exactly Lincoln's team of ... rivals but from the Republican perspective is there an element of pushback year because present Obama himself ... didn't end run around the sun ... with his Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ... absentee ... I hadn't nomination see NLRB ... curious to some extent I don't think I think that's right ... it's fascinating to me though that the Republicans are so far avoided ... threatening a filibuster right which would require that the sixty vote hurdle to get over ... it and ... that's in contrast to what the Democrats didn't two thousand five with John Bolton one job when George W Bush nominated him to the investor due to the US ... Joe Biden ... Barack Obama ... a and ... Telefónica Chris Dodd and John Kerry ... all ... contributed to a filibuster that denied Bolton vote he would of been confirmed with about fifty seven fifty eight folks if they've gone before ... but the breeze the sixty vote threshold in Iowa vote ... so he had to be appointed in a recess appointment to be able to go to the US ... the Republicans so far going and I have Senator Graham seems to hold ... on him which is the right of senators do they often do that ... Democrats didn't ... extensively at the under cabinet level during the Bush he's quite so friend Paul therefor that the White House's demand ... denigrate them say these on Co-Operative Republicans look there they don't I don't think they are afraid that I think I think what the art is ... consistent ... I don't think they think that I think they think that the president sch nominee should get an up or down so ... and that they shouldn't be denied based on the filibuster pick at the camera of all I really do believe in the late John McCain thinks that I agree with that ... I don't like the idea polls we criticize him when Democrats practice of wheat criticize the one Republicans of practice I think the presidential nominees to deserve all ... that doesn't meet ... the Democrat you go in lockstep an awful high if they have such profound doubts about Hazel is I think they do know can editorial page editor Paul to go thank you so much for being with us ... according to stay on the Senate and talk about the gun control debate next ... stay tuned ... welcome back to Opinion Journal why Mary Kissel ... you're looking adopted by John Locke the former chief economist of the U S sentencing Commission in author of more guns less crime ... he's exactly the guy that we wanna talk about the Senate debate on gun control ... John Wellcome affected ever hear John Kerry read for other Senate Democrats from states like say West region yet ... really ... vote for gun control ... I guess it depends what velvet that affects me in and made pretty clear that God is so open stance that can be renewed ... but there are other things are being considered are they targeting rate said the right thing or a solid position ... I don't really think ... this all open for an issue that would have been relevant in the Connecticut case impact on the bills to for talkin' bout with a stop in Portland the Connecticut case the we just went through ... but suppose that's what often happens with these laws something happens and ... people of things that they've been sitting on for years that they pull out and discredits shoe horn in the ... sun is there anything that they're considering the huge you think is useful ... and for Tyrol ago ... I mean I think it's ... things that they've tried many times in that this was try them on again ... no cake ... and eat it the ... former Arizona Congressman Gabby Giffords playing a very prominent political role ... Sury certain popular movement here you think could move as torrents ... gun control so you know it's it's not useful ... well I mean there's ... the polls seem to show that there's been an increase in support for new measures that are there I guess my big concern is that ... people aren't being accurately informed about what the different measures are going to be doing so for example won the big things the presence going pushes the so called universal background checks ... and you look at the polls is like eighty or ninety percent aren't a robot ... but the facts are being used for just our right to open a sample of present those inclined to forty percent of gun sales ... aren't going to background checks ... but simply false and can be John Ma doctor more guns less crime me this image for being with us that's it for opinion Journal why Mary Kissel ... Joinus again here one pm every weekday thanks for watching